Monthly Archives: November 2011

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Just watch this very impactful video of fellow Washingtonian Dee Williams it is a courageous speech. Then what are you waiting for build that micro house and see what living is all about. I double dog dare you ;) here it is http://youtu.be/ho7aHrXVupM

The video is up on you tube http://youtu.be/mRC-4pKVte8 and a picture commentary posted here. I reframed the 8×8 floor expanding it to 8×12 . By adding to 12 foot 2×4 plates and cutting the old 8 ft plates down for floor joists I only added one more floor joist to make up the added four feet.

above is the disassembled 8×8 frame. The 12 foot plates needed 1/2 an inch trimmed off the ends as they were running long. I used a small miter or chop saw to do this . Be carefull using power tools if you do not have experience ask someone to show you how to use them. After cutting the plates to length I marked the plates to 16 inch spacing of the joists . I attached the new longer plates and now we have a 12×8 floor 96 square ft of floor .

The frame is square and ready for decking 3/4 in plywood is used in a staggered pattern to keep seams form lining up . So one and a half sheets from one end to the other two rows wide . above full sheets placed and ready for half sheets . Getting ready to cut the sheet in half marked and propped up to cut . Be careful using power saws have someone show you how. They can be dangerous . I set the depth on the saw for just over 3/4 in so as to not cut down into materials below .

Above I snapped a line with my chalk box layed the sheet out supporting it on the frame and elevated it with some scrap blocks im ready to safely cut it in half. The deck is on and ready for walls screw down with 1 1/2 in construction screws every six in mark your floor joist so you don’t miss them .

Just thought I would show you a really cool atypical design for a tiny house. I actually built one of these over 20 years ago . all the framing members and walls are the same size . there tough little buildings mine is still standing . It’s an innovative structure very tall 14 ft. Steep pitched roof gives lots of volume mine has a loft in it. I have had many people over the years stop to look inside and comment on it so enjoy the tour. http://youtu.be/xBm8HOpUxkk This video is a part of a movie about tiny houses coming next year . It should be interesting I’m looking forward to seeing it .

Chilly morning 28 . Fired up the stove this morning in the shop so posting this while I wait for it to warm up . The second video is live on you tube. Today we discuss the foundation and floor framing for your tiny house . we see two examples of a foundation . Pier blocks and pressure treated 4×4 beams as runners or skids . Small buildings are light enough to move around and can be skidded or picked up and repositioned with out harm.

about 18 years ago I had a client that wanted to insulate a small barn style sheds floor after it was built . it was so sturdy I simply pushed it over on it’s side and installed the insulation under the floor framing then rolled back on it’s bottom ;) . Then I attached a rope to it and drug it across the yard to it’s new location where it was to be a shed turned tiny house for a friend of her’s that needed a place to stay. (Tiny houses have been in back yards for years )

So here is the video http://youtu.be/w_no4Rgmp_w and so you don’t miss any new videos and post don’t forget to subscribe to this blog and the youtube channel …oh and if you would like others to find this and benefit from it like us on facebook to ;) Thanks for stopping by

P.S. the next video will have a section on tools you will need to build your tiny house .

I see the writing on the wall don’t you ? The banks have gone to far ! The construction industry has gone to far ! Realtors have stepped across the line ! there are big changes coming for all three of them. there has been a collusion for to long forcing people into spending more and more money for housing out of nothing more than pure greed !

What if we just don’t play their game anymore ? Stop buying overpriced undervalued poorly built houses. Stop paying 20,25, and 30 year loans and spending all your time working to pay for them . This is not an investment. It’s an enslavement . An enslavement that you don’t have any control over we don’t set the prices the values on these “investments” other entity decide if the house you just bought will go up or down in value and when. But your still responsable either way .

What if you pay cash for a house and never owe a payment to a bank again ?

Now what would you do with all that extra time/money you would other wise be spending on a mortgage ? Well first off you would not have to work full time . Your boss won’t be able to hang your job over your head any more because he/she knows you have bills to pay and can’t afford to lose your income. With your time back in your hands you can pursue interests that have been side lined or put on the back burner of life . Family time to spend with them now that hustle and bustle are a thing of the past . Self where did the time to take care of you go ? What would you do if you had TIME ? You can sell your time but you can’t buy it and you only have so much …

Now if you live closer to work and the grocery store you may not even need a car ?! Wait just a minute Here !! am I saying no car and no house payment/rent !?! YES! I just eliminated the two biggest things in life you spend money on. ;) Or maybe an inexpensive one as it is not a daily driver any more.

Well go ahead ask me . How am I going to do that ? I’m glad you asked . Build a tiny house . Place it near where you work and shop then ride a bike or walk to get around. You will have the time to walk/ride because your cost of living will be a fraction of it’s former self and the dreaded 40 hour work week will be a thing of the past .

You will no longer need the bank because you will pay cash for everything ,you no longer need credit cards. Money the stuff we seem to never have enough of( because we spend over half of what we make on housing and transportation) will suddenly be available . If you save it ,put away the same amount you were spending on a house and car you could retire at 35 instead of 65+ !

I think the best thing you could do with your spared time is learn to build that tiny house and get out or avoid the current housing trap designed to make you work till you drop while others make huge profits off your hard work . Slow down and ride a bike down to the farmers market and get some fresh ingredients for a slow home cooked meal with your friends and family .

I thought I would do a post on some beginning thoughts and considerations. First off I get the sense that a big obstacle or belief is that If I build a tiny house I won’t be able to find a place to put it. I’ve seen the comment in numerous post and conversations on other sites and forums .

Now what I have observed is the people who have built/bought tiny houses and are living in them have found accommodations for them by simply letting people know there intentions friends relatives networking out until someone shows interest and an agreement is created. Here is another way to get an opportunity started http://tinyhouselistings.com/ this is a buy ,sell and rent tiny houses and spaces site that has developed to help like-minded people find each other.

All that being said lets talk about site size and orientation. To begin planning your house build you need to think about the end . That being the final product how big where you would like it to be and how it will sit at the site. Where would you like to place your house ? are you planning on moving around and traveling a lot ? Do you see yourself in a backyard or in an R.V. park or a private lot or acreage ?

How big or small will the house be ? How many people will it need to house ? What do you need in the way of possessions in your house ? will you have pets ? Guests ? overnite ? spend some time in an R.V. if you can to get a sense of space and storage .

orientation how will your house sit on site. When planning you will want to have window and door placement for natural light and access southern exposure in winter . Summer heat and shade trees and other buildings. Wind, rain and drainage of the site.

These are all considerations to ponder along with whether or not you want to build on a trailer or a foundation and if so what kind ? permanent semi permanent on skids , blocks or footers.

This is an interactive process so Questions and comments are encouraged and well necessary to help create the finished product , your house . I am here to help make that happen to facilitate , remove the obstacles and barriers and beliefs that are stopping you from having the confidence to create this tiny living space you want. Lets have fun and create a place to call your own ;)